


Sweet Scented

by Anonymous



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 00:59:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11452686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The one where Geri is a florist and Sergio is a tattoo artist who comes ogling the flowers.





	Sweet Scented

**Author's Note:**

> **Wiktoria** , I know you liked this story so much you translated it into Polish and pretended it’s your own story and you didn’t bother to say a word about it to me.  
> Sweetie, I’m flattered but you’d better make it clear that your work is a translation so I don’t have to report you. Adding a last paragraph to someone else’s work doesn’t make it yours.

White lilies and soft pink lisianthus look gorgeous together, Geri notes, moving a bouquet of carnations and daisies away from the sunshine that is pouring into his shop through the window display.

The shop is small and narrow, with two rather inconvenient steps in the middle of the room. There is one window overlooking the street and a bungavillia branching over the entrance from the outside. Geri works hard to make the place look cosy.

A shadow leaps to the window and starts meowing. Geri gets out a bowl, fills it with kibble, brings it outside and places it down. The cat stretches and scales down the bungavillia, then starts gobbling down the offered meal. Geri watches the cat with a smile; its fur is dark and silky, its wounds are completely healed. No one would recognize this cat for the dirty fleabag that got stuck in the branches several weeks prior. Geri refuses to name the cat, although he has given up thinking that it will stop showing up.

The cat finishes eating and climbs back to its favourite spot by the window where Geri knows it would be dozing off for good few hours. Geri returns to his work. He has an order for a wedding arrangement to keep him busy.

Next time he glances up, the cat is gone but there is a movement across the street that catches his eye.

A guy is sitting on the stairs of the house opposite from Geri’s, scribbling something into a notebook. Geri stills, the flower he is holding dropping from his fingers. He recognizes the guy – he doesn’t know him but he’s seen him lurking around. He first noticed him three weeks ago, when the guy was trying to make himself seem inconspicuous as he passed Geri’s shop, his phone out and pointed at the shop.

Geri is absolutely positive the guy has never been inside the shop – he is not the type Geri would forget. Not with the shoulder-length hair and the sleeve tattoos.

Geri contemplates what to do. One thing is clear, he’s being stalked. He isn’t sure confronting the stalker is the wisest thing to do but damn in, he refuses to be made uncomfortable in his own shop.

He watches the guy for a couple of seconds, his anger rising. He takes in a breath, drawing himself to his full height and storming out to the street. He shakers an angry finger at the creeper. “Are you stalking me? Taking notes?”

The guy startles. “What? No way, I’m not!” He springs up and tries to back away from Geri. His back hits the wall of the house and he looks up at Geri and has the audacity to crack a smile. “I swear I’m not stalking you.” He shoves his notebook right under Geri’s nose. “See?”

Geri pushes the guy’s hand away a bit and glares at the paper. There are dark outlines, simple and sleek, arranged to form a rather vulgar picture – it takes Geri a moment to recognize the bouquet of cymbidium for what it is.

The sketchbook is yanked away. “Yeah, you’re right, I can totally do better. See? Here.” A few pages are flipped over and Geri finds himself squinting at a drawing of one of his flowers; a single windflower placed in an antique glass bottle, its petals almost translucent, the shading only darkening where the petals press against each other towards the centre.

“Oh.” He takes the sketchbook from the guy’s hands and turns a few pages – they are all filled with flowers. Some are intricate designs, some are rather minimalistic. There are a few where the gentle flowers form a perfect triangle. Geri rather likes the contrast of the soft looking flowers and the clear-cut shapes. He hums and turns a few more pages.

“Hey!” The guy tries to get his sketchbook back but Geri holds it out of his reach and continues flicking through the pages. The guy huffs. “Those are mine designs, okay? As an inspiration for some new tats. I said I’m not stalking you, I’m just practising because I like to do the tats freehand, fuck stencils. Now, give it back.”

Geri blinks. “You’re a tattoo artist?”

“Yeah, from down the street,” the guy waves his hand and tries to snatch the sketchbook back. Geri continues flipping through it, taken by the drawings.

“All those all from the shop?” Geri asks.

“Most of them. This place has a great atmosphere, I tried taking pictures but it’s not the same as sitting here and doodling.”

Geri makes a thoughtful noise. He reaches a couple of blank pages and is about to finally give the sketchbook back when he realizes there are some drawings at the very back. He flips it over, ignoring the guy’s frantic attempts to reclaim it.

There are no more tattoo designs. There are, however, plenty of sketches of Geri. Some capture his face, some focus on his lips, hands, eyes. The amount of details is remarkable and Geri stares and stares, half astonished, half flattered.

“Also as an inspiration?” He teases when he finally finds his voice.

The guy grins sheepishly, tucking his hair behind his ear with his pencil. “Um…”

“Next time, just come in,” Geri says.

The guy looks up at that, meeting Geri’s gaze. “You’d let me just sit there, doodling flowers, not buying anything?”

“I might even make you coffee,” Geri hears himself offering.

The guy beams and Geri tosses him the sketchbook back.

“Well, if you’d take your stalking elsewhere, I’ve got job to get back to.”

“Fuck, so do I,” the guy says, glancing at his watch.

Geri gives him a curt nod, turns and walks back to his shop. Shit. He didn’t even ask for the guy’s name, let alone his number. By the time he decides to run after him, the street is deserted. Geri curses himself.

The next day, just as Geri finishes changing the water for the gladioli and is carrying them to put them on a shelf, the door to his shop opens. Geri looks over his shoulder and his foot catches on the damned stairs when he sees the guy from the previous day standing in the doorway.

The water sloshes around and a few flowers fall down to the floor as Geri tries to keep himself upright. The guy crosses the room in a flash to pick up the flowers and place them back into the vase Geri is still holding.

“Hi. Thanks,” Geri mutters, fighting the urge to blush.

“Hi. I’m Sergio and I hope you meant that offer yesterday.” Another beaming smile.

“Hi Sergio,” Geri repeats like a moron. He finally gets the gladioli to their place on the shelf and turns back to his guest. “You… you didn’t close the door,” he says, watching as a familiar head pokes in, ears twitching.

The cat trots over to them and rubs against Sergio’s legs, completely ignoring Geri.

“Hey, Flea,” Sergio says, scratching the cat under its chin. “So this is where you sneak out after breakfast? Really? Mmm?”

Geri raises an eyebrow. “Wait. You’re feeding the cat too? And also – Flea?”

Sergio nods and says to the cat, “He should have seen you about a month or so ago. Wouldn’t recognize you, would he? But now you’re a pretty girl, aren’t you Flea? Mmm?”

The cat closes its eyes, holding its chin up, and starts purring.

“Cunning thing that one,” Geri remarks. “I bet it begs for food at every doorstep down this street.”

Sergio laughs. “Wouldn’t put it past her. Now, I believe I was promised coffee.”


End file.
